When a local developer in April referred to the growing commercial area near Barrow Crossing as the “new Winder,” his comment did not go over well with some city officials for whom the downtown area has been a particular focus. But the Barrow Journal has learned that Winder in recent weeks has launched an aggressive annexation plan to extend the city limits all of the way to Highway 316 as soon as possible.
While the possible extension of the city’s boundaries has been discussed for years, the effort picked up speed in late August when the city entered into a 90-day contract with Mike Rice to make it happen. For the past three weeks, Rice has been knocking on the doors of homeowners to ask them to bring their properties into the city. He is the volunteer chairman of the Winder Downtown Development Authority but works professionally in real estate as a business broker. Rice said Tuesday that he is being paid $30 an hour to devote up to 30 hours each week to the effort. He said he has met with about 13 property owners and all but one so far has agreed to the requested annexations. He also is doing the deed work in the courthouse.

so he is got an in on the no bid contract, and works as " volunteer " yet gets a 30 an hour thirty hour week contrack for 90 days pretty sweet for real estate person, seeing as right now real estate commissions are far and few between...

Barrow Countians must learn about UN Agenda 21 ICLEA for sustainable development and stop our city and county governments from its continuance of that devastating operation now. If you don't know what UN Agenda 21 is it is a global scheme that has been in effect since U.S.President GHW Bush signed the agreement with the United Nations at its 1992 Earth Summit meeting in Rio de Janeiro and was signed into unconstitutional law by President Bill Clinton in 1993 to become effective in January 1994. It was then further advanced by President GW Bush's unconstitutional USA Patriot Act which is now the absolute law of the land that has morphed our country into an American Police State via the Department of Homeland Security.

Sounds like Mr. Rice is getting a great deal being paid for doing something that could have been done by the DDA volunteers. Or maybe the city councilmen could approach the homeowners and save some of that money. Also think the deed work could be done by someone making a lot less than $30/hour. The good ole boy network is alive and well.

Why are you all so negitave, Winder is moving towards 316, so what. You all sound like ex-employees that have been fired and would complain about any and everything. $30 is less than most contractors would charge. Downtown Winder has nothing to do with 316. If you hate it move on. The banks are leaving because FDIC took them not because Winder is annexing property. Good luck, hope Wendy's does not move or you may be out of work.

1. I've never worked for any government in Barrow County. 2. My point was that we don't need a contractor to do the work; many volunteers and city workers are qualified to do it - and at a lot less than $30/hour. 3. When we moved here, my middle schooler was informed that he lived on the wrong side of the tracks, i.e., south of them. It's always been north Winder and everyone else. Don't think that attitude has changed much in half a century. 4. The banks left because they were mismanaged and went broke; the feds stepped in to protect the banks' customers.

All the complaining and whining! This is another good step towards making this town stronger like Athens GA. Instead of old Winder and new Winder fighting against each other and the new trying to destroy the old now they can hopefully work together and make It all one thing and it grow in sync with one another instead of one ahead of the other. In other words they can help us get new development like the way they are doing now with Aldi's who was going to build over there but decided to build here instead. Anyone following me here?

Why is it Old Winder and New Winder? It should be Winder and Barrow County. The area at 316 has always been there. Winder did not want it when it was a trailer park. Now that it is growing Winder want the tax dollars. Well that's fine they are going to need them. More police cars to be re lettered, more officers to patrol, New fire station, new engine, another ladder truck, another rescue truck, more firefighters to staff new station, more sanitation workers. And on and on. If any thing the newly developed area should be annexed by Bethlehem, but then again who said the developers and the business owners wanted to be in a city.

How about this revolutionary idea:
Why don't we incorporate the area between Winder and Hwy 316 as IT'S OWN CITY? A brand new city. Maynardville, Chicotown, Snowdon Village, or whatever. I like it! It would keep 'Winder' from taking everything for themselves.
Maybe 'Winder' is to big already...maybe we need another city?!

So winder is taking what rightfully belong to Bethlehem all in the name of greed. Winder looks like a big old dump. Smells like dog food and can't even properly maintain what they already have. Now they are looking at up and coming progress in Bethlehem with covetious eyes and trying to take it all.

If I was a developer or business owner. I would fight to the end to keep Winder from annexing me in to their spiraling down city. Why would any business want to deal with Winders mayor and city counsel? None of them has any idea how to run a city. It is like the blind leading the blind.

There is a reason these businesses are there, to stay away from the ignorance of winder. You all had your chance and blew it, now you want to use the power of government to take from others. I can't run a town so I'll take what someone else built. Really, Winder needs to be bulldozed, the stupidity, a park for Richard Russell, that is an insult, really you think that shows honor, it's suitable for the weekly winner in the happy hooker liars log, but for a senator a 12 x12 piece of grass,IMPRESSIVE city leaders impressive. Keep the museum that's enough memories and bulldoze the rest.

portunities to get things done here. It's still being revitalized now very slowly. But Former Mayor Buddy Outz, who had 16 years(4 terms) to do something prouctive with the town, let it all go to hell. Terms for mayor should be a four year 2 term limit. Buildings were boarded up, codes were not enforced,the town had no money and still cuttting close. Now there trying to enforce codes and clean up tthe mess. There no need to bulldoze. REVITALIZE historic buildings and REDEVELOP. Bethlehem should annex it in their city limits and should have already. Is your city officials doing what they are supposed to do? . We're going for it when Bethlehem did'nt so were smarter then you think and you all just blew it as you put it.lew it as you put it.

Revitalize? What business has success in most of the buildings? Have you seen the traffic? I love history and trying to preserve it, and every 5 miles I can see a historic town. (maybe exaggerated, but close) good ol boy system again. My great grandaddy walked barefoot across volcanic nordoroc to build the peskins building so we have to save it! Really I feel the deep roots of the creek Indians while sitting in Locos. bye bye Barrow Crossing the plague is coming for you.

Sitting at Loco's? So you do invest your money in downtown that you despise so much? You might as well get over the fact that they are repairing downtown for the future and they will never NEVER tear it down or let it go to hell again. They only plague is people like you trying depose of the well established town infrastructure that OUR ancestors worked hard to build. If you or anyone else don't like the town or the way the so called GOB runs things....then MOVE! As for the stinking chicken feed plant I would get citizens to sign a petition against it and bring it to the good ole Winder City Council.

Toms hires Gwen Rice, gives contracts to Mike's son and law, and now hires Mike. Have Rice, Toms and Ginn-Henderson have, through bankruptcy and default, walked away from almost 3.8 million in personal debt in the last couple of years? Is this Rice's 2nd bankruptcy in the last 15 years. Public records indicate this is true. It's not hard to see where this is headed. Council has chosen some real winners to run that city.

Forget 'New Winder' or 'Old Winder'. Just think 'Better Barrow'. Barrow is the next Gwinnett. The demographics, education, & culture have been changing and will continue to change here. Get over trying to save Old Winder. It's gone, accept it already and move on! Unfortunatly, the good ol boy network and giving away money/contracts to friends is still going on. Such a waste! If they'd replace all these 'boys' with well meaning citizens that actually care about our future maybe we could get something done and plan out this growth the way it should be. Will we plan for a 'Better Barrow' or squander this chance for instead trying to save 'Old Winder' that is already gone anyways???!!!! Do the right thing for the future of the citizens here.

that's right man, I live in Gwinnett and Barrow for several years and I've seen progress in BOTH counties. In a few years Gwinnett is going to take over all of the metro areas and then Barrow will be the next Gwinnett. But I think Barrow should create another city or community between winder and 316. extend Bethlehem limits to at least the border of Walton, renovate Winder ,Russell and Auburn. build parks and such similar to Gwinnett. hire investors and businessmen from surrounding counties to bring more income to Barrow. Before you know it Barrow will be Better Barrow

I agree whole-heartedly 'Realist'! We are part of the area that could possibly be annexed and we are not happy about paying more taxes. Especially when the money will go towards a wasteful city government that lines the pockets of those 'boys' I spoke of. We need to do what is in the best interests of Barrow Co. as a whole. For one thing, fully funding the S.O. would be a nice start. We don't need to do what's in the best interests of a select few that are currently (but won't always be) in charge! Annexation is not the answer!!!

If you are in unincorporated county, your property taxes are only assessed at the County Milage Rate. If you are in a City, your milage is assessed at both a county rate and a city rate. The City portion will go to fund the city, while the county portion will got to those areas of service provided by the county that the city does not offer, and the remainder goes into the General Fund for the county.

Your effective property tax will be at a higher rate once you are incorporated than it would be if you remained in an unicorporated area.

True, your insurance rate my drop because of the rating of the fire services provided, but what is the closest City Fire Station to the area they city is looking to annex? Because of that distance, your rating will be assesed as being a HIGHER risk, which will cuase any savings you may have be less than you would expect, if any at all.

The fire tax that the city puts on people would be far less than the insurance I have to pay with Barrow COunty fire. They are a good bunch of guys, but the city has a better rating which means less money coming out of my pocket. Bring em on and I'll sign up!

'Mouse' aka connected to or in city leadership. How dumb do you think we are?

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